New Footage: Panasonic Varicam Pure – 4K Raw at 120fps

We first learned that Panasonic was bringing a new member to the VariCam family during IBC 2016, and now we finally have footage from the new camera system, dubbed simply the “VariCam Pure”. Footage is below:

The VariCam Pure is the result of a partnership between Panasonic and the on-location recording company Codex. The body of the camera is the same Varicam 35 platform we all know and love, with the addition of a Codex recorder that allows the Pure to capture 120fps in 4K Raw to SSD drives (Codex Capture Drives).

The Varicam Pure system is the latest attempt by Panasonic to push into a cinema space long dominated by the likes of ARRI and RED Cinema. Sony too has been struggling to make headway into studio and indie features with their F65, with the recent exception of Ang Lee’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and2013’s Oblivion, directed by Joseph Kosinski. This early footage out of the VariCam Pure looks great and I’ll be interested to see more once the camera begins shipping and gets into the hands of independent operators.

Image Credit: Panasonic

Panasonic also announced upgrades for their existing line of VariCam cameras that add ProRes 2K support and additional ProRes codecs. They are available for download HERE.

Technical Highlights:

4K Raw

Up to 120 fps in Raw 4K

14+ Stops of Dynamic Range

Dual Native ISO: 800/5000 ISO

VRAW, Avid DNxHR, Apple ProRes,

Integrated Camera Body (ie. no cables)

Weight: 11 lbs

What do you think? Has the newly-released footage from the VariCam Pure made you more likely to try out the camera when it begins shipping?